


Almost Just Another Mission

by TBCat



Series: Deep Waters [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-14 22:38:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15399078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TBCat/pseuds/TBCat
Summary: The Akatsuki attack Konoha for information on Naruto.Spymaster Jiraiyai hides Naruto in plain sight on a "training journey" through the elemental nations.And the Shiranui Clan resumes their place at the forefront of Espionage, Seduction, and Assassination missions for Konoha.Of course, when Genma's mother said he would always be her trouble child, she probably didn't imagine the mess he could get into on a simple information gathering mission. Even if it is on a brand new terrorist group: the Akatsuki.





	1. Chapter 1

Genma blames Jiraiya. Genma blames and thanks Jiraiya in equal measure, because it is due to Jiraiya’s shitty prowess as a spymaster that Genma is sleeping through every brothel, bar, and bounty-drop in the Land of Grass to find information on Akatsuki. 

Genma sprawls across the bar top, lazily waving down another drink. He is overplaying how drunk he is, but the point is to listen to the other people. Shido is a moderately sized town located just far enough from Kusagakure that Genma is not overly concerned with running into patrolling shinobi. The bar brightens for a minute as a new group walks in; Genma looks for an image through the reflection in his glass. He idly catalogues two males of different height with cloaks that obscure any particular features. Genma can just make out the broad shoulders and sword strap on the larger figure, but his glass is old and grimy. He is more concerned with the conversation between several farmers in one of the booths. 

Genma keeps a shinobi’s vague awareness of the people in the room, but he can’t afford to look like anyone more important than a struggling farmhand. It's easy enough with the right posture and a threadbare set of clothes. Senbon are the best weapon for hiding in the lining of clothes, and his hair has been carefully colored a distracting shade of red - without the use of chakra. He keeps conversations casual or lies, and barely anyone remembers him or his covers. 

The farmers are getting mad at each other. Genma isn’t sure if it's personal or has to do with their work. The barkeep isn’t happy about the argument, so its likely something less innocent than wheat and rice crops. Genma knocks back the rest of his drink, casual as always, and thinks about the barkeep’s under-the-counter job for the precinct. It's easy enough to prick the poisoned-senbon that lies hidden in his shirt sleeve. Genma has built up at least a semi-immunity to everything he handles by now, but he wants to really sell the upcoming act. He finishes the rest of his drink before the nausea takes effect. Then, Genma stumbles off his stool and blurts out, “I’m gonn-”. He bolts towards the door and, carefully, doesn’t look to confirm the features of the two figures that previously entered. 

One is large and chiseled, with a well tended blade handle peeking from his coat. His skin looks blue and he’s wearing a crossed out hitai-ate on his forehead. It's too dark to determine any details. Their cloaks are full-body, black, and patterned with red clouds.

The smaller figure is Itachi Uchiha. 

Instead of puking at the feet of the group of farmers, Genma slaps a hand over his mouth and ducks through the front door at a civilian sprint. He pukes in the browned grass slightly in front of the establishment and curses Jiraiya’s ancestors. Genma has found the Akatsuki, but now he needs back up and a way to tail the duo. 

He makes plans as he half-fakes a disoriented walk to the inn where he begged a room in exchange for manual labor. He’ll have to change his appearance with more than hair dye to fool the sharingan. His tracking skills are passable, but not good enough for the distance he wants from Itachi and an unknown ninja of presumably comparable skill. He’ll also need a handler to maintain copies of information for return to Konoha in case of mission failure. 

For now, Genma passes out in his room and pretends to sleep.

* * *

 

Taxes. Kisame almost wants to laugh at the idea that Kakuzu assigned members of the Akatsuki to handle a dispute about taxes, but money is money. At least that's honest. Itachi, at least, seems relieved that the mission is only a quick and easy assassination. The poor guy is painfully unemotive, but he clearly gets antsy on the lengthier guard missions. 

After the civilians clear out, the barkeep brings a tray with two drinks, a bag of money, and a small piece of paper on it. Kisame scowls at the subterfuge; it was obvious that the money came, reluctantly, from the group that just left. Itachi glances at the note passingly and nods at Kisame. Their information is still correct. They have been hired to kill a local lord and rewrite his will to release the deeds for the local farmland to the farmers that work the land. Kisame almost feels warmed up to his gills at such a kind-hearted mission objective. 

“I can complete this most quickly on my own, if you would wait at the inn,” Itachi comments. Kisame wants to object, but it's true. Samehada may not have tasted fresh blood in a couple of weeks, but a pampered civilian lord would be an insult to her. Furthermore, Kisame has worked with Itachi long enough to recognize that he is better at tasks that require subtly. Itachi will find it much easier to forge a last will and testimony than Kisame might. 

He shrugs in agreement and slides to his feet with a fighter’s grace. Itachi is a second behind. Both leave their drinks untouched, but Kisame pockets their down payment before strolling out the door. Itachi always appreciates some time to himself, and Kisame has no patience for his flashy disappearances. 

The village is moderately sized, with a single paved road that branches into multiple cobblestone or dirt paths. There are several lots that clearly play host to markets during the day, but Shido has maintained its status as a middling agricultural town during several Shinobi Wars through obscurity. It's just past dusk, and everyone is either already home, or still at the small handful of bars or restaurants the town maintains. Kisame is content to settle in his room and run an oil cloth through and between Samehada’s iron scales. She gets restless as easily as Itachi.

* * *

 

Genma pretends to wake with the sun. It sucks to go with little more rest than a meditative doze, but if he gets into a fight then Genma has already failed his mission. Instead he goes to do his job like he promised the Innkeeper. The second floor is all tiny rooms, but downstairs features a small dining room and bath hall. Genma collects water, chops wood, and heats a basin for communal use. Then, he is sent to collect grocery orders and deliver mail. Genma sinks into the annoyance of his lingering self-induced hangover. It wouldn’t do for anyone to see his satisfaction at having the perfect excuse to visit the post office right away without breaking cover, and without a summons animal Genma has to rely on civilian messengers. 

He writes a coded message requesting a small amount of back up for an infiltration/tracking mission and addresses it to the postmaster at the nearest Land of Fire border town; they are responsible for subtly intercepting just such coded messages. Then Genma uses the trip, loaded with bloody cuts of meat, to steady his heartbeat and prepare himself for the next step.

He walks into the Inn expecting the empty quiet he left. Instead, Genma is apparently on the tails of a village meeting. 

“Lord Kenji should be respected even in death! He wished to give the farmland to his loyal servants!” Someone shouts. 

The crowd of people are passionate at the least, but Genma is more concerned with a familiar coat hem disappearing upstairs. He looks throughout the room some more, as if he's just trying to find a way to slip through the crowd to his employer. 

He makes his way through the crowd and drops his load off on the back counter where Jirou indicates. The elderly man is kind-hearted, and obviously only giving Genma work out of pity. 

Genma plays his part well though; “Any more work, ser? Er, at least, somethin’ I can pick up around town?” Genma glances nervously, obviously, at the arguing crowd. 

Jirou sighs, “Sorry, Jun, but it looks like things will be up in the air here fer awhile.”

Genma, ‘Jun’ right now, shuffles his feet before nodding. “I'll go pack mah stuff, ser.” 

It will be easy enough to take the same, or at least a similar, path as the Akatsuki this way. Genma is prepared to travel at a civilian’s much slower speed while he can to buy time for backup, but he doesn't want to lose the trail either. 

Genma can not lose the trail. 


	2. Chapter 2

The room is small and private. The western style bed lies in the center of the room and takes up the majority of space, covered in clean linens with expensive looking patterns. Genma’s fingers idly trace a line of golden embroidery and watch the rain patter on the window. The occasional storm can be expected this close to Ame. It's easy to ignore the snores of the rotund woman lying messily next to him and enjoy the sounds of rain on the roof, instead. It will be much harder to clean the new stains on the fabric of the bed and Genma’s discarded kimono top, but that's not his job. His job as Kenta is to pleasure the brothel’s varied clientele in exchange for room and board. His job as Genma is to collect information on the Akatsuki. 

Eri Ichiko is celebrating the beginning of the end of her marriage. She has successfully hired missing-nin to assassinate her husband and his business associates. As she told Kenta, it won't bring back her son who was sacrificed to the drug-cartels high risk lifestyle. However, Ichiko is willing to settle for revenge and protecting her daughter. Kenta was more than happy to help Ichiko celebrate. Genma is happy to receive such gratifying news. 

He is confident that the Akatsuki are the only missing-nin in the area, and Ichiko’s mission will keep them close by for at least a week or two. Soon, backup should arrive. In the meantime, it would be much safer for Genma to mimic the Akatsuki’s mission than actually shadow them himself. 

He tucks a strand of bleached blonde hair behind his ear. It should be easy enough for a prostitute to locate a drug dealer.

* * *

 

Kisame enters the pub sure that he will leave with what he wants. The single guard inside the door moves to stop him, but Kisame jabs three times; eyes, throat, and gut. The guard stops interfering and Kisame has the room’s attention.

“I’ll see myself to the backroom,” he says. The resulting bar-brawl is fun, even if its not particularly challenging. 

Kisame ducks under a chair thrown through the air and kicks out to the side. One down. He pushes forward and snaps the neck of the man in his way. Two. A burly woman tries to come in from the side with an improvised beer bottle-turned-knife, but Kisame cheerfully slams Samehada into her side before she can get close. Three. Even in her wraps, Samehada is brutal, and the brawl quickly finishes. 

Kisame sees himself into the backroom. 

Kisame bears his teeth at Eri Kenichi in a shark’s grin. He slams Samehada’s bulk into the man’s kneecaps in lieu of a greeting and feeds her a bite of his own chakra as apology for the menial labor.

“Where’s your partners?” Kisame asks. The smell of fresh urine starts to overpower the scents of old liquor.

The babble is quick and informative. Kisame isn’t sure if he is disappointed or not. Kisame leans over Kenichi’s prone form and strokes one roughly calloused hand over the man’s cheek. 

“Your wife says thank you for the advance on her allowance.” Kisame moves his hand over Kenichi’s windpipe as he speaks, “So do we, by the way.”

Kisame leaves the bar with a scowl. No direct witnesses survived, but it was easy enough to flash the Akatsuki cloak to the town as he walked out. Kakuzu keeps saying that work begets work. 

Now Kisame just has to clean the filth off himself and pamper Samehada in apology for the simple job.

* * *

 

Genma is too late, perhaps luckily. He has stuck to the cover of Kenta for tonight and is playing the scene. The first two men were limited help, and only confirmed that a missing-nin took out the local drug den. Kenta eyes a tattooed woman built for two. She catches his gaze and grins in challenge before waving him hither. 

Kenta slides into her lap, ignoring the two empty chairs nearby. She laughs and grabs Kenta by the back of the neck. 

“I’m not gonna pay for a single night, lil’ boy.” She has scars typical for a mercenary, but at this range Genma can confirm that her chakra is undeveloped; she is not a shinobi.

“For someone as well-built as you, maybe I could arrange a discount,” Kenta murmurs. The woman’s eyes focus on Kenta’s lips to make out his words. He wets his lips in visible contemplation. 

“What a liar,” she snorts derisively, but smiles in good humour. “My parents played a cruel joke when they named me Mika,” she taunts.

Kenta smiles at Mika, and returns the introduction. “I’m Kenta. I think you look beautiful.” 

It’s a stretch, but one Genma is happy to make. Kenta leans into Mika’s arm. He just barely misses her breasts. Mika’s eyes are wide and focused on Kenta’s exposed collarbones. 

“Well, I guess this town does have something I can enjoy,  even if my job was a bust.” Mika is jovial, but the her casual flirting is distracted at best. Kenta distractedly rubs circles into the top of her thigh and looks up at Mika in concern.

“Job issues? I guess my time with you really will be for my own pleasure,” Kenta smiles sideways. He braces his hand firmly on Mika’s upper thighs and leans in closer. Genma continues, “I might be happy about that, but I’m sure you’re not. What happened?”

Mika acts then. She grabs Kenta with a bruising grip and locks lips. Her kisses are tentative and sweet. Kenta shoves his tongue forward teasingly and then pulls back. He climbs to his feet, bent over Mika’s chair, and then grabs Mika’s hands to pull her up. Mika follows willingly. 

“I have a room we can use,” Kenta says winsomely.

Mika grins and adjusts her shirt. She forgets her drink at the table and her hair is starting to tangle. 

“I’m in no trouble, especially with you to keep me company,” she flirts. “Besides, even if the shipment I was guarding from Kusa arrived for nothing, the upcoming power struggle will keep me employed.” 

Genma grins. He might have found a lead. Kenta locks the door to his room behind them and drops to his knees. 

“Tell me more,” he says, “I promise I won’t distract you.” His fingers tease at Mika’s belt buckle as Kenta rests his chin on Mika’s thigh to look up at Mika. She laughs and plays along.

* * *

 

Red eyes look at the moon in consideration. The mission will begin as soon as they reach the next town, but that might not be a good thing. 

After all, Kurenai considers, her team is so young, and now they will be introduced to seduction missions. Alternatively, she has had first hand confirmation of Genma’s expertise. 

“We should continue, sensei,” Shino speaks up, “Why? because my bugs have identified the chakra of an unspecified konoha shinobi preparing to travel.” 

Kurenai is confident that her team can handle this. They’ve grown into such fine young adults, and their hormones are finally beginning to normalize. 

“As soon as Hinata and Kiba return, then,” she answers. 


	3. Chapter 3

Kisame likes Itachi. Its rare to find a more competent shinobi, or a smarter companion, and yet Itach fulfills both those standards for Kisame. Furthermore, there is no tension concerning the truth behind their partnership. One way or another, their death is inevitable.

However, Kisame does have a difficult time bearing Itachi’s desire for dramatic self-flagellation. Itachi insists on walking at leisurely speeds between missions. He exposes himself to the worst of the elements. He stays awake each night until his body crashes, and wakes the next morning with an even deeper mania residing in his eyes. Kisame likes to imagine Itachi’s issues stem from looking at his own sharingan in the mirror. Realistically, Kisame suspects that Itachi only handles the true dread of existence by hating his own inability to end it. In the present moment, Kisame sits across from Itachi at a rundown, roadside tea shop. Kisame smells the tea’s bouquet and watches as Itachi swallows the scalding tea without pause. Each of their faces are blank, but they’ve been partners long enough to judge actions instead.

Kisame leaves Itachi to his plotting and philosophizing. The tea shop shows the travellers passing on the road outside and the moderate traffic to and from the nearby, small city provides adequate people watching. That carriage belongs to a wealthy merchant by local standards. That family is fleeing debt. That little girl with the raven hair shows signs of familial abuse. Traveling alone like that, she’s probably a run-away from home. Down the road is a figure that nearly matches Kisame in size. He’s clearly a mercenary, but he doesn't seem to be shinobi trained. His gait is balanced for action over stealth, and Kisame's basic chakra sense can’t detect the electric tingle of active chakra coils. Interestingly, he’s not traveling alone. Instead his arm is supporting a man who walks with a courtesan’s grace, but shows enough skin to make it clear he is prostitute instead.

His hair is short and messy, with just enough length to tease grasping fingers. His butt fills out his travel pants attractively. Perhaps most interestingly is how his interest in the mercenary looks real. Kisame knows better than to fall for a prostitute’s lies, but the smaller man doesn’t flinch from his companion’s scars, or muscles, or missing teeth. The most beautiful lies are always the ones that someone wishes were true.

Like every lie it quickly shatters. The prostitute gets distracted stroking the muscles of his companion’s arm, and gets a backhand for his inattention. He must not be under contract if his yelled and spit insults are anything to go by. The mercenary curses the air blue to match the prostitute's growing bruise. They part ways and the prostitute storms into the teashop. His reception is frosty, but roadside establishments aren’t in a hurry to turn away customers.

Kisame continues to watch the road, and rolls his eyes when they mark up the price of the prostitute’s drink. Itachi continues to drink his tea. The prostitute sits at the front counter with all the pride of an angry cat. His loose shirt shows off pretty biceps and a slim waist. His neck has an old hickey. The prostitute is at least smart enough to wait for the owner of the store to be distracted by another customer.

Then, he turns around in his stool and sprawls backwards as he surveys the bar. Kisame imagines crawling between those sprawled lehs and biting his thighs. The prostitute is clearly looking for an easy mark, but Kisame knows most of the patrons are headed in the wrong direction. As for himself and Itachi, their combined naturally intimidating aura has prevented Kisame from getting laid since he left Kiri, where people were at least crazy enough to be attracted to danger.

For once, both Kisame and Itachi are surprised when the man walks straight up to them. They are clearly shinobi, no matter how discreet the Akatsuki ‘uniform’ is. The prostitute has sleepy eyes and one dimple. He is cute, and Kisame can be honest with himself that he wants to bite his own mark where the prostitute’s low-hanging shirt shows creamy skin.

“You’re headed to Yuri, right?” The prostitute doesn’t give them time to answer, and instead steals a chair from a nearby table for his own use. Itachi’s eyes follow the sound of scraping chair legs, and the prostitute eyes the hard lines of Kisame’s forearms. “I’m Katori. Do you mind if I travel with you boys. I get lonely at night, and I don’t want any trouble from bandits either.”

“I don't buy sex-” Kisame starts to refuse Katori’s propositioning.

“Aren’t you being a bit obvious,” Itachi interrupts. Katori’s laugh sounds unfairly attractive. He answers Itachi first, “There’s no such thing in my business, pretty boy.”

Katori’s attention turns back to Kisame. “Don’t worry, handsome. I wouldn’t make you pay me for a good time.” Kisame snorts at the line.

“If you think Itachi is gonna pay you, then you’re out of luck. I don’t think he knows what sex is.” Kisame almost regrets teasing Itachi when he smiles back at Kisame’s shark grin. It's easy to forget how casually dangerous Itachi is.

Itachi speaks gently, but resolutely, “You are welcome to walk with Kisame and myself. We leave as soon as the tea is finished.”

* * *

Genma is overjoyed. Itachi’s non-sharingan eyesight seems weak for some reason. He is traveling with a swordsman named Kisame. They treat each other with the casual respect and deference of friendly coworkers. Itachi seems to be in charge of strategies within their partner dynamics, but Kisame’s easy confidence suggests an equal or greater ability in pure combat.

Katori is supremely satisfied. The pretty boy Itachi seems to be making the decisions for the pair of shinobi, and Katori was able to play the two against each other easily enough to secure protection for the trip to Yuri. Even better, the other shinobi, Kisame, is fantastic eye candy. Katori spends the rest of their time in the teashop imagining the bulk of muscle that must be hidden under Kisame’s absurd cloak. His cheekbones look delicate and delicious. Katori really hopes to tempt Kisame into a quick lay so he can explore what the ninja might look like when his blue skin is flushed by exertion.

Sadly, Katori knows better than to push boundaries on the first night. If two ninja are traveling on foot to the city, they probably have some secret reason why.

Genma considers how best to maneuver Kisame into an attachment with Katori. He is beyond lucky to have the next two days to work with this approach, but that's still only two days to complete a challenging seduction mission. Oh well. Some things are classic for a reason.

Katori pushes through the first hour of the walk in the noon heat. His shirt is lightweight, but the dark color easily absorbs the heat of the sun. Soon, Katori is stripping his shirt as he walks and slinging the garment over his shoulders. Genma is entranced by the blush of purple that stains the arch of Kisame’s cheeks.

“Would you like to borrow Kisame’s hat, Katori?” Itachi questions. Katori grins at the man. Kisame bares his teeth at Itachi.

“Only if Kisame doesn’t mind,” Katori answers, “I don’t know how you two bear the sun with those thick cloaks on.”

Kisame turns to Katori with his head down. “Uh, no, I mean, yeah! I don’t mind,” Kisame offers.

Katori steps closer and looks up through his eyelashes at Kisame as they walk. “Thanks,” Katori says absently.

He adjusts his hat to see better and maintains his new position walking at Kisame’s elbow. Occasionally, Genma looks up at the blush staining Kisame’s neck with a smirk. In half a mile the trees begin to clear for farmland. According to his maps, Genma figures the city outskirts are about 30 kilometers away. Kisame seems to have calmed down, too.

“Katori,” he says. Katori looks up into Kisame’s focused eyes. “The cloaks are actually fairly lightweight,” he continues, “See.” Kisame opens the front of the cloak. Genma counts five kunai and twenty throwing stars at first glance. He also sees endless planes of sculpted muscles and bulging pectorals.

Katori accepts the offer to feel the lightweight silk as he daydreams about licking those abs on the way to the prize. “Oh,” he says.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so grateful for the response this story has been getting!!! It is really humbling and inspiring, so seriously, thank you Readers.

Kurenai stops the team at sunset.

Hinata knows this only because the team agreed beforehand, and Shino’s kinkaichu pinches the skin of Hinata’s pinkie finger in reminder. Hinata drops off a tin roof and lands in an alleyway. The outskirts of the city are a maze of shantytown, and it is easy enough to curl up in a dead end like any other orphan. Hinata hides her face the way Naruto used to. Now that he is a proper genin, she knows that he hasn't been sold rotten produce in months.

She keeps her byakugan open as long as she can. Her reserves are waning, but even with Hinata’s subpar abilities it is easy to see the supernova of chakra that is the approaching Akatsuki. He blocks out the people that Hinata knows should be traveling with him: Itachi Uchiha, Genma Shiranui in disguise, and a mysterious chakra signature that seemed to be attached to the Akatsuki ninja’s back. Hinata shivers like just another lonely, scared orphan.

Hinata is scared. Hinata is always scared, but the Akatsuki are dangerous and a threat to her precious people. She will not fail this mission.

The supernova of chakra at the edge of Hinata’s vision stops coming closer. She doesn’t expect an S-rank missing-nin to fall asleep on the road, nor does she believe her Byakugan could actually translate the circulatory patterns of the monstrous chakra system she can detect. However, as long as the target is unmoving than Hinata can rest. She taps the pattern for 'Guard' that Shino taught the team. The Kikaichu buzzes twice as expected. Hinata sighs and relaxes into a formal meditation, as her father would expect for proper mission readiness. She trusts her teammate’s technique to warn her of any approaching chakra signatures.

* * *

Katori lies on his side and props his head on his elbow. The half moon gives a gentle shine to the wood of the storage shed, and Katori can almost ignore the smell of dirt and dung. Outside of the shed, a pile of farming equipment has been rudely dumped on the ground.

Genma appreciates the subtle and natural use of the environment to lay basic traps. Someone unprepared or unobservant could easily make a ruckus trying to approach the entrance of the shed. He also appreciates the seamless application of ninja wore to lay traps of a no-doubt more lethal quality. It is worrisome that Itachi’s skills seem to extend past just genjutsu, though not surprising.

Katori focuses on the glint of black beaded eyes from the figure lying next to him. He smiles like a cat and rolls closer. Kisame’s body stays loose and relaxed, but Katori doesn’t expect to truly read a ninja’s body language. Civilians have heard stories about the shifty nature of shinobi. Instead, Katori rubs his hand along the fabric of Kisame’s robe and enjoys the silky feeling. He stretches the length of his body to whisper in Kisame’s ear, “Wake up; I made you a promise didn’t I?”

Kisame surges upwards like a lunging shark, and flips them so that Katori is pinned to the dirt floor of the shack. Kisame’s legs press each of Katori’s thighs open and into the ground, one hand holds Katori’s arm stretched out, and the other presses against Katori’s throat. Katori’s hand continues to stroke the silky material of Kisame’s cloak from between their bodies. His adam’s apple bobs against the cheap cloth choker he wears. Kisame answers, “Oh, and what do you owe me?”

Katori’s mouth is faster than his brain. “Use your imagination,” he says, as he draws his hand down Kisame’s chest and traces the path of his abs.

Kisame leans a scant inch closer and says, “Itachi has never appreciated what I like to imagine.”

Katori takes a breath to pause for time. His hand stills at Kisame’s belly button. He says, “Well, three’s a crowd anyway.” Katori’s eyes flick sideways momentarily before focusing back in on the curve of Kisame’s neck, and continuing to say, “Itachi can stay sleeping on his side or leave the shed if he is so sensitive.”

“Oh,” Kisame pouts, “I must have been thinking of something different than you. Something louder.”

He doesn't move away from Katori, though. “I promise I can be quiet,” Katori breathes out, as he rolls his hips up to clarify what he imagined. Genma tracks the edge of Itachi’s cloak leaving the shed from the corner of his vision.

Kisame stops arguing and grins instead. He surges forward to bite Katori’s jaw as their hands each start exploring each other. Katori slips his hand into the slit of Kisame’s robe and finds the spandex of a bodysuit that he claws in search of an opening.

Kisame rolls them back so that Katori is settled in his lap, and strips off Katori’s loose shirt with a little urging. Katori is smeared with makeup powder and smells like a brothel, as could be expected.

Katori returns the favor by squeezing Kisame’s biceps appreciatively. He pulls at the shoulder straps of the body suit in between gasps. When Kisame, finally, complies Katori shows Kisame how enjoyable biting and licking really can be. Kisame arches his stomach into Katori’s hands and mouth. Katori taps his fingers absentmindedly along the bared muscles.

Genma carefully watches the kikaichu burrow into the large chakra pores that lead to chakra core at the stomach as he bites down hard. Shino Aburame is young and does not have females to spare for this experiment. This time Kisame barely holds back his gasp. Genma smirks up at the shark man. Then, he continues to peel down Kisame’s jumpsuit, characteristic of a Mist swordsman, and lets himself have a good night.

* * *

Kurenai is tense.

So are Shino and Kiba. Kiba feels useless constantly checking for false trails and switching guard shifts with Akamaru. Shino is struggling to keep his hives calm as they adjust to new pheromone and chakra trails in between allowing soldiers and female scouts to venture so far from home. However, he cannot lose control in the field, and especially not so close to such dangerous enemies. Meanwhile, Kurenai is preparing to counter Itachi Uchiha in genjutsu.

Ideally, a genjutsu battle starts and ends before the other ninja is aware of the battle, but combined with a tracking mission Kurenai is hyper alert for signs of active genjutsu as the team travels. Hinata is, ironically, the safest with her byakugan, but she has also therefore taken the dangerous position of point.

Kurenai looks at the half moon and gently ripples her chakra from her head down through her extremities. The night sky stays consistent. The breeze is a steady presence, and the air temperature is almost 90 degrees fahrenheit. Kurenai opens her mouth as she shifts her gaze downward and pulls her chakra back into her core. The air tastes of stale leaf litter and off-season farms, which matches what Kurenai sees in the field around her. She doesn’t cast a genjutsu yet, because she can’t risk detection. However, she is sure that the location where she and her boys are camping is secure and hidden.

She trusts Genma to complete his seduction. She presented him with the resources of her team as squad leader, and he constructed a good strategy that limited risk to the genin. The team is prepared for extraction contingencies, and by morning this mission will be a success.


	5. Chapter 5

Hinata wakes before the sun rises. The air is stale and smells like old bodies. Hinata stares at the fabric of her pants for three breathes. Then she activates her bloodline.

Her chakra reserves are mostly restored. Hinata sees a miniscule amount of her own chakra flying one meter away from her. Shino’s kikaichu has been undisturbed. Hinata pushes aside her own disturbed thought at being fed on. The mission is more important. 

Hinata detects a family of five in the house directly behind her. The apartments on either side of her are over filled with sleeping couples piled on the floor. She sees similar housing arrangements further towards the city. In around half a kilometer Hinata sees small, simplistic cabins filled with families whose chakra indicate lifestyles dominated by physical labor. Hinata matches her breathe to the pulse of yang chakra circulating in a civilian system then moves her focus in the opposite direction. She sees the gentle light of natural chakra strengthening as the city limits are reached at the edge of her vision. In the distance, Hinata can see a supernova of chakra, refined and sharpened into a weapon like any proper shinobi circulatory system. Hinata unfocuses her mind and ignores the contradictory blindness the supernova imposes on the byakugan: she can detect Genma’s calm, mercurial chakra. It is traveling in simulated stutters and gasps like a mockery of a civilian. At the very edge of Hinata’s vision is the dark edge of Itachi’s chakra. It resembles a lovingly made blade, double layered in both yang and yin chakra. Its current is so carefully and smoothly controlled that it looks painful and compressed to Hinata’s straining eyes. 

She is distracted as her own fleck of chakra suddenly zooms away from her in the direction of the chakra supernova.

* * *

 

Kiba crouches on all fours in the long grass two meters east of the main path. He can just catch Hinata’s scent of fertile dirt and polishing oil from his position. More important to the mission are the fading scents of fish oil and fresh blood that belong to the targets. The hunt leader left a faint trail of lily blossoms and animal fat scents underneath the prey’s stronger scents. 

Akamaru quietly yips two steps to Kiba’s back left. Kiba snuffs as he tilts his head in acknowledgment. Akamaru creeps forward and scents Kiba’s shoulder. The pup is quickly growing. Kiba is relieved that the perimeter is clear, but he is more relieved that he and Akamaru are ready for any threat that comes.

Akamaru twitches his ear. There is no time for a proper tussle on the hunt, and they both need to report to Kurenai. After all, she outranks them. 

Kiba takes a deep breathe. All scents accounted for: the prey, the pack leader, the missing member, and -

Kiba doesn’t smell the sweet sap of a flycatcher plant or the heavy sweet scent of hive pheromones.

* * *

 

Shino is determined. He has been given a great responsibility to help track such infamous missing-nin. He is anxious. Genma has created a logical plan that relies entirely upon Shino’s control and understanding of his bugs. However, Shino will do proud by his clan. He is the clan heir, and he is well-trained in his clan’s secret techniques. 

The queen buzzes gently as as Shino feeds her a trickle of chakra. The scouts report two pheromone trails. Hinata’s soldier is well-fed, but far from the colony. The scouts are very excited by the food present exactly two flight lengths to the northeast. 

Shino assauges them with a gentle serving of chakra from his gut. The general workers process a portion for a group of maggots Shino is breeding to be able to work directly with Akamaru and similar ninja-animals. 

The queen’s antenna tickle Shino’s pores. The scouts predict that at least one of the colonizing females should develop from their newfound foodsource. 

Shino turns to Kurenai. She is meditating, but Shino will wake her now. She asked to be notified on any updates to the mission status immediately. 

The kikaichu finish eating and reporting. Two scouts have yet to return.

* * *

 

Kurenai sleeps for 93 minutes in the dark of night with both Shino and Kiba on high alert. Then she falls into a light trance and extends her senses out and down. 

She remembers Itachi’s style. Like any Uchiha, his eyes are the focus for his repertoire of genjutsu and more obscure ninjutsu. Itachi focuses on reality altering techniques and overpowering opponents. Kurenai appreciates his ability to pinpoint generalized fears and predict his opponents. However, Kurenai specializes in misdirection and lethal traps. She depends upon using and manipulating the environment, not the target like Itachi does. 

Kurenai loses herself in matching the pulse of her yin leaning chakra to the gently waving nature chakra of the grass surrounding her. It doesn’t actually look like an ocean of light, the way Hinata describes it to Kurenai over tea. Kurenai simply feels the currents of reality with the limited senses of a well trained jonin. 

Her body is just one portion of the environment, and all the world is simply a manifestation of different chakras. It is so easy for Kurenai to track different ways that the world’s chakra grows, shifts, and recycles. 

She opens her eyes. The only chakra moving is her own. She sees the waving grass. Shino is staring tersely at his own hand - no, at his kikaichu pores. Kurenai cannot hear Kiba approaching. He was supposed to report back in after his perimeter check. 

She snaps into action.

“Kai!”

* * *

 

Genma curses Itachi’s name. If he were in Konoha, he could curse Itachi’s name out loud, and only risk a glare for lack of tact. However, Genma is on a mission, and Katori cannot curse out Itachi and the 93 Uchiha clan members he murdered without immediately arousing suspicion. Katori squints through the gentle morning sun to raise his middle finger in Itachi’s general direction. 

Kisame was perfectly willing to let Katori sleep after he wore himself out in the night. Itachi, though, is both a masochist and a sadist, so he woke Katori at dawn. Katori remembers the sight of a happy shark grin. Genma remembers seeing a fully clothed Kisame sitting with an unwrapped broadsword that bristled in so many scale shaped crossblades it more closely resembled a club. It worryingly seemed to arch into Kisame’s oiled polishing cloth like a living animal. 

Now, the unlikely traveling group have meandered back to the road. Katori blearily glares at Itachi’s perfectly ironed robe. Genma speaks to cement the suppression of being cranky in the morning, “How the fuck -”

Itachi, the ass, cuts him off, “Excuse me.” Katori suddenly remembers that this is a deadly killer and quiets. Katori steps closer into Kisame’s bulk and wraps his own arms around himself. Genma tries to consider the odds of the poisoned senbon hidden in his pants lining being both powerful enough and fast enough to disable Kisame in time for Genma to call retreat. Genma would have to avoid the scar tissue that builds a delicious trail down Kisame’s ribcage. 

Kisame smiles with his shark teeth. His muscles are relaxed. Itachi finally speaks, “Someone is attempting a large area genjutsu.” Every muscle in Genma’s body relaxes automatically as Kisame draws his absurdly large sword, and then Genma forcibly tenses them like a frightened civilian as Kisame turns the blade toward the path forward. Itachi’s body is unmoving, and his head tilts sideways an exact four millimeters to dodge a trio of senbon. Genma notes the shine of contact poison on the weapons.

Katori backsteps in a frantic scramble and falls on his backside at the edge of the path. Genma notes the four senbon that pass over his head from due north and thud into the ground two meters away. These are not poisoned, but each one was aimed to enter his eyes, nose, and mouth. Mist covers the ground in a slow forming layer, and Kisame laughs: Genma makes the connection. These must be Kiri-hunter-nin after Kisame as a swordsman. Katori doesn’t see what Kisame finds humorous, and snaps at the two shinobi, “H-help me! What is going on!” 

Kisame jumps into the thick of the mist without answering verbally. Genma catches a quick hand sign that hopefully means cover as Itachi approaches him. Genma absently counts two Kiri made kunai swish past the back of Itachi’s robe, but Katori absently moves a hand back as if to retreat from Itachi. He stops at the feeling of grass prickling his fingers. Itachi crouches on the balls of his feet and another kunai flies through where his jugular was a moment before: its trajectory puts it at a distance of ten yards as proven by the detonating explosive tag momentarily clearing some of the mist. 

Itachi speaks quietly and slowly, “Do not worry. You will likely not die. These are simply hunter-nin attempting to kill Kisame.”

Genma grimaces. Itachi left the village at 15 and apparently never learned how to talk to normal people. He transitions the expression into Katori’s angry bluster, “Well, why aren’t you helping Kisame!” Genma doesn't bother asking more; he doesn’t trust what information he might get from Itachi even in a covert interrogation. 

Itachi leans back on his heels and tilts his head at Katori before answering, “Kisame does not need my help to kill such an easy opponent. It would only irritate him.” Genma tenses. He has greatly underestimated the Akatsuki. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does this count as a cliffhanger? :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember that I am a softie, and neither want to actually leave yall in suspense nor cause yall angst.

Kisame leaves Katori with Itachi and jumps into the mist. The cool humidity feels nice; almost as nice as his new attachment. Kisame savors that thought as he swings Samehada wide to deflect a trio of simple projectiles. It is as important to be honest with oneself as with the world, and this attachment is safe. Kisame will soon see a world without lies, and even sooner he will part ways with Katori in the city, where the prostitute can find a greater number of clientele. 

Kisame drops the smile and ducks under the next kunai thrown from the front. He steps forward blindly, trusting his senses to lead him through mist that smells like the oceans of home, and swings Samehada in an undercut bites a hole through the masked ninja’s gut and spinal cord. Samehada slurps the chakra up in one big gulp before the body loses its life and collapses sideways. 

Kisame pushes off and slams Samehada sideways into the kiri-nin sneaking in from the side. Samehada catches on a well forged katana braced into the dirt, and strains towards the chakra it smells waiting to be eaten. Kisame adjusts her angle by a millimeter and swings up and over the suiton jutsu that blasts out of the mist. 

He disconnects Samehada from the sword and swings her around under his opponent's guard. The hunter-nin abandons his grip to use a doton jutsu and collapses into the ground along with his sword. Kisame tosses Samehada into the air, where she spins through the mist in search of the source of the chakra meal she smells. Kisame smiles lovingly at her and quickly forms a suiton jutsu; watery sharks jettison through the mist. A splash sounds gently two meters away.

Kisame catches Samehada on her descent and swings her around so that her momentum leads their leap. Her scales scrape body armor and draw a scant few drops of blood. She whines and wiggles at the thrill of the hunt, and Kisame laughs with her joy. The katana swings towards his back mid-laugh, but Kisame has already swung Samehada up and around. He pivots and performs a disarming strike. Samehada swings down to joyfully shatter both of the opponent’s kneecaps. Kisame spears the Kiri ninja through the shoulder and down into the ground so that Samehada can savor her meal. 

Kiri ninja are always conscientious enough not to scream in public.

Kisame turns 100 degrees to face the direction of the last ninja. He draws a kunai and flips it through the air showily. The next strike comes from a classic kiri kunai at Kisame’s right side. Kisame absently appreciates the practicality of a crossguard to block swordsman as he grabs the hunter-nin’s wrist in one hand. It breaks easily. Kisame twists the arm and pins the ninja, stomach-down, to the ground. He pins the other hand with his drawn kunai to prevent any pesky jutsu. Kisame smiles and whistles for Samehada to come enjoy her next meal. He was so worried she wouldn’t get to have any fun on this mission, too.

* * *

Kurenai recognizes the genjutsu after releasing it. She bolts in the direction that Kiba should be in, and tracks the slowly returning sounds of nature. It's a Kiri made genjutsu that freezes all sensory output from a certain area. It is possibly Itachi, though he tends to avoid using genjutsu that affect large areas instead of individuals. Kurenai considers whether a true Kiri-nin could have cast the jutsu, but surely they would have realized that such a trick would neither fool, distract, nor intimidate a ninja as intimidating as Itachi. Kurenai has limited information on the ninja traveling with Itachi, but based on both her previous encounter and Genma’s intell, he appeared to be a kenjutsu focused user. 

Kurenai keeps Shino in the corner of her peripheral vision, and tracks the patterns of disturbed animals through the forest. They were disturbed by whomever cast the jutsu, obviously, but now the whole forest is bothered by a disturbance approximately half a kilometer down the path. Shino signals for a stop, and Kurenai respects his request. He is her genin, and she knows he must have important information. 

He does, “Kiba is approaching, and I am recalling my hive in preparation for combat. Because, my scouts have discovered and tagged at least two unexpected sources of chakra. Logically, there might be more.”

Kurenai takes a breathe to collect herself. Adrenaline pumps through her veins distractingly. She can just faintly hear the sound of Akamaru’s claws against bark. She reminds herself to focus on stealth training for both Kiba and Akamaru, then turns towards Shino. “Status report!” she quietly orders. 

“We will not lose the trail,” Shino says confidently, “because the unknown Akatsuki is successfully bugged.” He continues, “Hinata’s trail does not contain alarm pheromones. However, she may return to regroup, because my soldier kikaichu have just been recalled.” Then Shino hides a frown in his jacket collar, and says, “Two unexpected sources of battle quality chakra are located within a third of a kilometer from here. They are probably not allies, because they are not familiar to my kikaichu.”

Kurenai stops him there and turns to swiftly disrupt both Kiba and Akamaru’s chakra with a swift jab each. They quietly whine, but turn their heads down and look away from Kurenai in apology now that their senses are recalibrating. 

“Defensive formation,” Kurenai decides. If Genma needs extraction, then they can act, but for now Kurenai prepares to protect her genin from the new unknown threat.

The three scatter into the sparse tree cover as Kiri style kunai thud into the ground at their previous location. Kurenai knows that the maneuver calls for Akamaru to flank wide and low to the ground, but his conspicuous white coat seems to have vanished into the grassland. It is the work of a single hand sign and less chakra than a henge to throw her voice into their surroundings. “Why are you attacking us?” she asks.

There is the buzz of beetle wings from the wrong direction. Kurenai bends backwards on the tree branch and watches the masked figure of a hunter-nin flip over her in a lunge as she brings her hands together. Then her spine continues twisting until she is simply another growing branch among the forest. Vines twist up the hunter-nin’s body and flower to show a parody of a face. Flowers grin with dripping stamen and small wildflowers wink at their captured prey. It speaks with a slurp of sap, “I asked you what you think you are doing.” 

The ninja’s silence is answered with the gentle caress of razor sharp leaves along their neck. Kurenai drops the body off the branch, and wipes the blood from off her kunai. 

She takes a deep breathe and centers herself. There is at least one more close by.

* * *

Shino watches the body thump against the ground bonelessly. His scout rejoins the hive with a gentle buzz, but the hive is distracted by the iron smell of fresh blood. 

Shino sends a small stream of soldiers to follow the handful of pheromone trails that layer the air. They are reluctant to go far from the hive while the queen is still recalling all drones, but Shino soothes the hive collective with a gentle vibration of his chakra. It is important for a shinobi to be relaxed and prepared. 

He looks in the direction of Kiba. Shino can just see his teammate through the foliage. His kikaichu are bothered that an ally lies in the path of the threat trail. Shino launches a kunai over Kiba’s head and drops to a lower branch simultaneuosly. Two kunai fly from the other direction, and crash against Shino’s kunai and thud into the branch Shino had previously occupied respectively. 

Kiba snatches the two kunai from their disrupted trajectory and leaps to the side to grip the vertical tree trunk with four limbs. He stashes the kunai in his pouch and ducks the senbon he hears whistle through the air. 

Shino bursts through the ground cover to occupy Kiba’s previous space and throughs an arm of his cloak out to send forth a swarm of kikaichu. They devour the space in between and below them, driving out a masked ninja who jumps up with tossed shuriken as a distraction. 

Kiba pounces from above as Akamaru bursts from behind to limit the ninja’s movements. Shino’s bugs tickle the pair as their swarm buffets the target from all directions, hungrily searching for chakra to deliver to the hive. The enemy ninja bursts into a rain of water droplets that send the kikaichu angrily buzzing back to Shino. 

Shino drops down next to Kiba and Akamaru as the pair shake the water off. He scowls at them with his eyebrows. Kiba grins up at Shino in response. 

The enemy shinobi strikes silently from behind with a short sword, but Kurenai slides out of the neighboring tree trunk with a kunai and parries the strike. 

Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru scatter as Kurenai sidesteps back into the embrace of a tree, then three kunai fly from different directions at the enemy. The shinobi twists around the blades with a simple pivot and tosses senbon towards the flash of Akamaru’s white fur, and Shjno drops down to intercept the projectiles. Then everything freezes as greenery uproots from the earth to embrace the enemy in a deadly caress. Kurenai wisps into existence as she pulls a kunai from the enemy’s ribcage. Shino sees multiple other bloody wounds shimmer into existence on the enemy’s body.

* * *

Half a kilometer from the supernova of chakra that marks the mission objective, Hinata begins to discern the specifics of her surroundings. Her chakra is familiar and soft to the eye, even as Shino’s kikaichu carries it at a rapid pace into the distance. She leaps to another tree branch. 

She can see Genma and Itachi at ground level along the main road. More concerningly, Hinata determines that the unknown shinobi seems to have split his chakra. One portion of the supenova is eating a prone shinobi into messy chunks of chakra that drip and float like a bloody, hanged corpse. Hinata tries to look away from the impossible sight of chakra being physically eaten despite using the byakugan. She can see Team 8 hidden in the distance, with the gentle clouds of Kurenai’s genjutsu caressing the foliage deceptively. Hinata counts two bodies of fading chakra, but Team 8 is well and together. 

Her sight feels foggy within the meters directly surrounding her. Hinata focuses the byakugan, and her sight reveals a genjutsu shrouded ninja with chakra spiked defensively like a sea urchin. She pushes backwards and lets her body drop as a cleaver swings horizontally past her body. 

Hinata tosses a smoke bomb frantically and tries to dash sideways into the underbrush. She cannot blow Genma’s cover and risk the mission, even if it costs her life. She tracks Shino’s kikaichu and trusts that it will reach Shino in 4 minutes. It would take her team 3 minutes to circle around to Hinata’s position if they realize she needs help. If Hinata can survive for 7 minutes, she may actually survive the mission.

The enemy jumps from the smoke and strikes at Hinata’s back, but she spin pivots to strike the flat of the blade with her palm. Chakra bursts messily from the tenketsu in her hand and dent the metal of the blade, unbalancing the enemy’s grip so that Hinata can duck into their guard with a jab for the naval. 

They follow their blade and Hinata’s blow strikes air. Her arm is extended and the enemy uses their superior height to drive an elbow down toward Hinata’s arm. She dives into her extension and rolls into the fading smoke to avoid the hit, pivots with a handstand, and rises back on her feet to face the enemy. The throw a scattering of shuriken forward, which Hinata gently weaves through. The Gentle Fist taijutsu style has fluid footwork that Hinata can just barely replicate. 

She jabs her fingers into the spines of chakra as it circulates and concentrates within her opponents body, and they shift to slide each blow away from sensitive pressure points in turn. Hinata uses her momentum in a furious haymaker blow for the gut, chakra billowing from her palm. The enemy shinobi blocks the blow with the broad of their forearm, and the smack of flesh against leather armor flattens the air. Hinata ducks the answering swing of her opponent’s blade, slams her hand against the ground, and somersaults away. A flash of chakra activates a half-powered explosive tag, and Hinata stares anxiously at the chakra signature behind her as it dodges and reorients to target her. She can see the broken spines of chakra jutt around where Hinata struck the arm. 

Hinata sprints away from Genma, and doesn’t bother casting one of the simple genjutsus Kurenai has caught her. All of her chakra is focused on balancing flow throughout her body to support the strain of extended, focused use of the Byakugan. Hinata jumps backwards in time to avoid a kunai, but catches a fist to the face as she flips upright in the air. She rolls on the ground to divert her momentum and ignores the resulting ache in favor of sidestepping the swing of a cleaver. Hinata steps forward and punches; the hand, the heart, the solar plexus, the collarbone, the elbow, the knee, the gut, the groin. The enemy shinobi leaves their sword standing in the ground to gently weave out of Hinata’s strikes, and then punches forward with a fistful of senbon. Hinata deflects the jab just like she would when sparring with her father; three senbon miss the vital pressure points of her airways and instead hit scrape against her shoulder bone. 

Hinata pushes forwards in the sideways stance, leading with a kick for the legs before rising to strike the chakra out of her enemies airways in return. The other shinobi grabs her wrist hairs away from their throat and knees Hinata in the gut. She feels the creak of her ribs as she watches the enemy’s chakra halve its rate of flow towards the head; She has compressed their tenketsu, though not closed them. Hinata throws herself sideways and away from her opponent as their chakra spikes in warning, and a bubble of water balloons directly in between the two shinobi. Hinata ignores the nauseous swirl of acidic chakra that comprises the jutsu and mirrors her opponent’s signature as it circles to reclaim the sword. 

Hinata tosses her last smoke bomb at her feet and jumps into the closest tree. She bites her tongue to swallow her own cries at the pain her movements cause and watches her opponent pause before picking up the trail instead. Ten meters eastward Hinata can see a small valley bisected by a hunting trail, and fifteen meters southward her team has begun to move towards her. Hinata throws a brace of shuriken to disguise her basic clone and rabbits towards different hiding spots. 

The clone pops and Hinata substitutes with a discarded piece of firewood from the hunting trail as multiple projectiles fly towards her. She stands in the middle of the hunting trail and double checks her footing as she labors to breathe around her ribs and keep her arms up for defense. The enemy shinobi drop from the tree branches and meander down the path towards her, twirling their sword playfully. 

It strikes from high right and Hinata deflects it down, where it is circled around for a beheading strike. The enemy kicks towards Hinata’s damaged ribs at the same time, and Hinata jumps forwards aggressively in response. She snaps her leg high to deflect the blade and uses her opponent’s own kick as a base for a handstand before clumsily landing to the side of the path. Hinata aims a strike towards her opponent’s ribs, but they pivot and snapkick their other foot to push Hinata’s strike away. Hinata turns her damaged arm to face away from the enemy shinobi. 

Hinata moves to strike the heart as the enemy’s yang chakra spikes in preparation for a sword strike, but then they freeze. Hinata feels her gentle light through a paper door chakra push against the shell of urchin spines at the enemy’s heart, and then it bursts and the shinobi falls limp to the ground. 

Hinata keeps her head facing down at the enemy as her Byakugan watches Kurenai’s well pruned, thorny chakra step forward. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI, updates might slow down just a tad, and I may not be able to respond as consistently to comments. But I will try!
> 
> We are approaching the denoument and conclusion of this fic, but do not worry because I have some other pieces in the works for as soon as this is completed! ;D

Kisame doesn’t bother rewrapping Samehada. She happily climbs his arm and playfully gnaws on his shoulder in thanks for the small treat. Kisame gives her a fond smile as he turns towards Itachi and Katori. The mist jutsu is dispersing now that the user is dead, and Kisame can see his traveling companions just a handful of yards away.

“That was fun, Itachi,” he calls out, “and there should be at least two more hanging around somewhere nearby!” Itachi is a wet blanket, but he tries in his own unique way. 

For instance: “I am happy for you, though you are unlikely to find more Kiri-nin today,” Itachi says without smiling. Kisame spares a frown at Itachi before crouching down to offer Katori a hand. Kisame enjoys the sight of Katori sprawled prone on the ground before Katori shifts forward to brace his hands next to his bent legs and push himself up. 

Kisame shrugs absently and reaches up to scratch the underside of Samehada’s scales; she has collar bone splinters stuck there. “Why not?” Kisame asks Itachi.

Itachi answers promptly, “Likely, Katori’s fellow shinobi will have encountered the rest themselves.”

* * *

The hive quiets for exactly 3.4 seconds. Shino takes a large breathe and tightens his control over his chakra as the Queen buzzes in agitation. The unique smell of dead kikaichu drifts through the air to sensitive antennae. Instinct says that threats must be immediately eliminated. 

Shino must tell Kurenai, because training tells him to communicate with his squad leader. “Genma-san has been compromised,” Shino says as Team 8 stands over the dead Kiri shinobi, “because my kikaichu can detect that the scout assigned to monitor his position has been killed.”

Shino watches his team immediately straighten and form standard hunting formation. Kiba and Akamaru guard the front and wait for the command to go from Hinata and Kurenai. Shino stands at the rear and calms the hive. His queen retreats to Shino’s heart as soldiers press against Shino’s pores in an anticipatory buzz. Kurenai and Hinata are buffered in the middle of the formation, and ready to engage the main combat force of any enemies. 

They move out.

* * *

Genma doesn’t bother to palm the senbon hidden in his pant legs. Itachi and Kisame are watching him too closely. Instead he bluffs for time: “What,” Katori spits out. “I’m not a shitty murderer. I just wanted a good lay on the way to the city, not whatever dangerous shit you chucklefucks are tit-deep in!” 

Genma doesn’t bother to keep his breathing even; a civilian would panic at the threat of a suspicious shinobi. More importantly, Genma needs to keep his cover passable. It's too easy to spin wild lies while panicking, but the best cover stories rest on the truth.

Katori wraps his arms around himself defensively and stares pleadingly at Kisame. Genma can’t risk catching Itachi’s eyes, and he might be able to manipulate Kisame’s attachment. He frowns at Kisame’s clenched jaw and death-still body.

Samehada slides down Kisame’s arm, and Kisame swings the monstrous sword up with a snap. An impossible jaw smiles at Genma’s neck, and Katori stares wide-eyed at the weapon that rests fractions of a millimeter from him. 

“Did you lie to me?” Kisame asks.

Genma stops his frantic breaths and breathes deep enough to feel the cold scales of Samehada press against his shirt. He has already killed Shino’s kikaichu in alarm when he stood up, and now he just needs to survive long enough for backup. 

“I never spoke a single untruth,” Genma tries to say. 

He ducks to the ground as Samehada jabs forward, and then Genma dives towards the side away from Itachi when Kisame tenses his arm in preparation to swing Samehada down into the ground. 

Genma rolls with his own momentum and swipes two discarded kunai from the hunter-nin attack before twisting into a standing position. Genma deflects the kunai that Itachi throws seemingly absentmindedly, and looks back at Kisame. His teeth are bared, but his lips and eyes and sword are downturned. 

Genma moves his attention back to Itachi, carefully avoiding eye contact. Genma asks, hesitantly, “What tipped you off?”

Itachi raises one manicured hand to keep Kisame from interrupting, and answers “You haven’t looked me in the eyes since we met.” Then Itachi finishes his sentence by saying, “Katori,” sardonically, and signalling Kisame forward.

When Genma was a genin, he quickly got used to brutal physical punishment due to daily spars with Gai. Defending against Kisame’s assault feels similar. Genma grabs his poison senbon and tosses it at Kisame as he charges forward, and then Genma is locked into close combat.

Genma braces a kunai in each hand and balances in the balls of his feet. He has to loom for an opening to step in close to Kisame, as his knives have a much shorter reach than Kisame’s absurd, monstrous, unpredictable sword. The sword swings through the air and Genma pushes it up to swing harmlessly over his head as he ducks and bobs into Kisame’s space. 

Kisame pivots and kicks out before he even finishes the swing if his sword, and Genma reacts by curling forward into the blow and pushing up on Kisame’s leg. He rolls forward and past Kisame without scoring a hit, and Genma is barely able to jerk his feet out of range of Samehada as it finishes its swing to strike at Genma a second time. Genma redirects his momentum to jump into the brush that borders the path and circle Kisame so that Itachi isn’t at Genma’s back.

Genma can see his senbon positioned in the meat of Kisame’s breast, likely stopped by the collarbone. The senbon’s poison is only calculated for a person of average constitution, as opposed to Kisame’s impressive, unique physique. Genma sends a prayer to the heavens and tries to lure Kisame deeper into the underbrush, but instead Itachi sends a fireball hurling into Genma’s hiding place. 

Genma leaps up and pinballs off a nearby tree to leap toward Kisame knife first. Kisame catches Genma’s much shorter blade with his own, and suddenly the sword flares with ragged spines. Genma swallows the pain of the skin of his right hand being grated off his arm, and instead tries to pivot into Kisame’s guard. He swings the kunai in his left hand towards Kisame’s ribcage in a fatal uppercut, but Kisame lets go of his sword to flash through a rapid series of hand-signs. Genma doesn’t have time to drive his kunai past muscle and towards vital organs before he is caught in a solid sphere of water. 

Genma’s relaxes his body to conserve oxygen and stares into Kisame’s face, and Kisame’s stares coldly back while Genma slowly drowns. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a great idea, so instead of finishing the work in the next three chapters with a semi-angsty resolution, ya'll get to wait for another story.   
> Sorry for the cliffhanger.


End file.
